The United States of America in the Post-American Revolution was overflowing with joy, fear and cautious optimism. The world had held its breath as it watched thirteen small imperial colonies succeed in defeating the British Empire and wining its long sought after independence. Unfortunately, the defeat of Britain was only the beginning of the woes America would face. It would come down to two prominent political intellectuals of the time, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, to take it upon themselves to heed this danger. Together they sought to persuade their colleagues and the masses through secret and not so secret writings and meetings.
Both Hamilton and Jefferson understood that their new found freedom came with the heavy cost of internal and external issues. The most demanding of these issues though primarily dealt with foreign policy during the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams. Despite the fact that both men understood the need to address these important issues, neither truly agreed on what these issues were nor the remedy in which to treat them. Nevertheless, it is in my opinion that Jefferson’s argument and unwavering commitment to the common people that truly rise him above and beyond that of Hamilton. It is without question that France was one of the largest contributing factors in the success of the American Revolution. It was one of the first major European powers to give diplomatic recognition to the new budding state. Yet despite the sacrifices France undertook for the new infant republic, animosity started to grow between the two comrades in arms. The animosity was further raised during Washington’s second term as France began to experience its own form of revolution. It is here during its initial stages that we begin to see a splinter in the views on foreign policy between Jefferson and Hamilton. The two would express very unique view points on the relations between a France in turmoil and the U.S. The early stages of the French Revolution were looked at by Hamilton with distress and uneasiness. He felt that the success of the revolution was too difficult of a hurdle for the French people and that their victory would come at too high of a price. For Hamilton, the French Revolution proved too precarious of an issue for American involvement. In a letter to Marquis de Lafayette, he conveyed fear that radical French ideals and philosophies could not be confined within French boarders, “…; I dread the vehement character of your people, whom I fear you may find it more easy to bring on, than to keep within Proper bounds, after you have put them into motion” (107). It is here that Hamilton’s argument proves quite effective as his apprehensiveness towards radicalism was not unfounded. The United States was still in its infancy and the arrival of unbridled fanaticism could only spell doom for an untested government. In comparison, Jefferson viewed the events in France with much speculation and interest. …show more content…
He, like Hamilton, understood that the rebellion in France would soon spread throughout Europe and abroad. Unlike Hamilton, however, Jefferson believed that the spread of radical French ideologies was tantamount to preserving the American constitution, “I consider the establishment and success of their government as necessary to stay up our own and to prevent it from falling back to that kind of Halfway-house, the English constitution” (108). Comparatively speaking though, Jefferson’s idealistic stance on American and French relations proved more dangerous to the U.S. than Hamilton’s. His initial views were, in retrospect, Machiavellian in that he believed that the ends would ultimately justify the means, “The liberty of the whole earth was depending on the issue of the contest, and was ever such a prize won with so little innocent blood?” (109). Jefferson’s idealist position here is both powerful and dangerous in that no one can determine how far they might go for freedom nor how far they would go to maintain it. As the revolution raged on, relations between France and the United States increasingly soured. It would become even more problematic under the Adams’ administration as the XYZ Affair prompted an increase in military expenditure and the creation of the controversial Alien
Both Hamilton and Jefferson understood that their new found freedom came with the heavy cost of internal and external issues. The most demanding of these issues though primarily dealt with foreign policy during the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams. Despite the fact that both men understood the need to address these important issues, neither truly agreed on what these issues were nor the remedy in which to treat them. Nevertheless, it is in my opinion that Jefferson’s argument and unwavering commitment to the common people that truly rise him above and beyond that of Hamilton. It is without question that France was one of the largest contributing factors in the success of the American Revolution. It was one of the first major European powers to give diplomatic recognition to the new budding state. Yet despite the sacrifices France undertook for the new infant republic, animosity started to grow between the two comrades in arms. The animosity was further raised during Washington’s second term as France began to experience its own form of revolution. It is here during its initial stages that we begin to see a splinter in the views on foreign policy between Jefferson and Hamilton. The two would express very unique view points on the relations between a France in turmoil and the U.S. The early stages of the French Revolution were looked at by Hamilton with distress and uneasiness. He felt that the success of the revolution was too difficult of a hurdle for the French people and that their victory would come at too high of a price. For Hamilton, the French Revolution proved too precarious of an issue for American involvement. In a letter to Marquis de Lafayette, he conveyed fear that radical French ideals and philosophies could not be confined within French boarders, “…; I dread the vehement character of your people, whom I fear you may find it more easy to bring on, than to keep within Proper bounds, after you have put them into motion” (107). It is here that Hamilton’s argument proves quite effective as his apprehensiveness towards radicalism was not unfounded. The United States was still in its infancy and the arrival of unbridled fanaticism could only spell doom for an untested government. In comparison, Jefferson viewed the events in France with much speculation and interest. …show more content…
He, like Hamilton, understood that the rebellion in France would soon spread throughout Europe and abroad. Unlike Hamilton, however, Jefferson believed that the spread of radical French ideologies was tantamount to preserving the American constitution, “I consider the establishment and success of their government as necessary to stay up our own and to prevent it from falling back to that kind of Halfway-house, the English constitution” (108). Comparatively speaking though, Jefferson’s idealistic stance on American and French relations proved more dangerous to the U.S. than Hamilton’s. His initial views were, in retrospect, Machiavellian in that he believed that the ends would ultimately justify the means, “The liberty of the whole earth was depending on the issue of the contest, and was ever such a prize won with so little innocent blood?” (109). Jefferson’s idealist position here is both powerful and dangerous in that no one can determine how far they might go for freedom nor how far they would go to maintain it. As the revolution raged on, relations between France and the United States increasingly soured. It would become even more problematic under the Adams’ administration as the XYZ Affair prompted an increase in military expenditure and the creation of the controversial Alien